Strengthening the Capacity of the Viet Nam Lawyers Association

Introduction

The Viet Nam Lawyers Association (VLA) is a “political, social, professional association” under the Viet Nam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA). It has 32,000 members, including diversified legal professionals. The broad mandate, extensive membership base, and direct access to decision-making on judicial and legal reform issues gives the VLA a potentially very significant role in the country’s efforts to promote the rule of law and access to justice for all.

To effectively respond to the challenges posed by its expanding role and mandates, the association has to be significantly strengthened, in particular with a view to:

Review and provide critical comments on new pieces of legislation, specifically those of importance to evolving reform process inViet Nam;

Act as a platform for legal professionals to actively participate and contribute to the legal and judicial reform agenda;

Increase the substantive capacity and professional skills of Vietnamese legal professionals, and;

Promote public access to legal information and legal aid services.

The project helps VLA to strengthen its organizational, structural, management and administrative capacity and to engage the membership more actively in the association work.

Using experience gained through the study tour, placement and possible twining arrangement and training, the project supports VLA to enhance the knowledge and professional skills of VLA members to contribute to the law-making process and the overall policy dialogue with the Government.

The project seeks to strengthen existing legal aid centers under the VLA as well as the establishment of new student legal aid clinics and mobile legal aid clinics.

What are the project's key results?

Enhanced capacities and mechanism for local association/ organizations and other non-state actors to actively involve, oversee and contribute to the reform process